Barça tapping up David Luiz

One of the more encouraging snippets of hope from last season was signing a sensational centreback in David Luiz. His arrival at the last minute of the winter transfer window might have been overshadowed by a certain Spanish striker, but since then Luiz has justified the money Chelsea paid for the Brazilian. And Luiz even scored more goals than Fernando Torres.

Small wonder that he has attracted covetous glances after not even 6 months. No less than FC Barcelona, the world`s most self-righteous club, appear to be interested, and have put that interest into motion in a way that seems like textbook tapping up. What is surprising is that Barça are trying to sign him in such an underhand manner. Barça coach Pep Guardiola likes the cut of Luiz`s jib and considers that the Brazilian could do very well at the Nou Camp, he`s therefore given the green light for the transfer.

So says pro-Barça daily newspaper 'Sport`, which gushes on about how excellent the player is: his character, his ability to withstand pressure, but also his youth, his capacity to grow, his speed and his size. Thanks for that, 'Sport`, us Chelsea fans know all that. And so does the Chelsea hierarchy, which is why they signed the bloke.

So Barça President Sandro Rossell, fresh from launching into an astonishing tirade against Real Madrid from his favoured standpoint of the moral highground, began the kind of underhand and sneaky manoeuvre that he himself denounces when anyone else does it. In Brazil to watch a tribute game for Ronaldinho, Rossell met with David Luiz`s agent to communicate Barça`s interest in the player. It goes without saying that this took place without any permission from Chelsea. What is worrying is that Luiz`s agent replied that he would be delighted to hear what Barça had to offer.

Helpfully 'Sport` declares that the fact that Luiz is currently under contract with Chelsea, and that that could be a problem: the Blues signed Luiz at the end of January for €25 million plus Nemanja Matic, and have tied down the defender for over 4 years. Those numbers put the player completely outside Barça`s reach, unless the Catalans will decide that, as with Fabregas, selling clubs need to give Barça a discount for being.

Which means that Barça would need to discuss directly with Chelsea. But Chelsea have absolutely no interest in selling the player. Nevertheless 'Sport` ventures a sum of €30 million as being the kind of number that Chelsea would be expecting. Try 'nothing at all`: there is no reason why the hell Chelsea should wish to lose one of their very best players, and even less reason to do a favour to Barcelona.

At the moment, Luiz is in Brazil with his national team, preparing the Copa America. As always, these official tournaments are a nuisance for clubs, who have much less control over the destabilising that can take place outside the clubs watchful eye.

If this rumour is true, it seems like a tap-up. Chelsea do not want to sell David Luiz, and do not welcome Barça`s interest. What they would also not appreciate is Barça`s attempts to get in contact with the player, without Chelsea`s permission. But then again, Barça have previous in this kind of behaviour: as our neighbours from North London will attest, Barça have done their utmost to destabilise Cesc Fabregas under the flimsy excuse that the midfielder is Catalan and therefore needs to return to some bogus spiritual home at the Nou Camp. Having turned Cesc`s head, therefore significantly affecting his play, Barça are now saying that the player`s value went down last season and that therefore they are not prepared to pay the €40 million that Arsenal are saying is his price, failing to point out that his value went down because of Barça`s behaviour.

For a club that prides itself on values that fool only their own devotees and apologists, Barça can behave in a pretty underhand, deceitful and dishonest fashion. Their slogan is 'Mes que un club` - more than a club. And yet, in many areas (their own players cheating and diving as well as the way they behave in the transfer market) they are, in fact, just as bad as everyone else, but with the added hypocrisy. If this tap-up of one of Chelsea`s best players is true, hopefully Chelsea can react in the strongest possible fashion to slam Barca.

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Your Comments (oldest first)

I hope Madrid give them a good ol kick in their backsides next season and we take them apart in the CL. Luiz loves Chelsea - he reminds me of Terry - CFC for life. If there is any truth to this, i hope we take the fight too them - don't think it will do any good though with UEFA in their back pockets.

Why dont we make a big fuss over this, like Sp*rs are doing with Modric, use the press to our advantage anmd leak thi sover and over again to the tabloids. yes nothing will happen but it does smear the "untouchable" barca a bit...and brings them down to earth.

I don't think it's true. They have nit enough money to buy Cesc and he's their biggest target at the moment. So they will first sell some of their players in order to get cash, they will buy him and then with the remaining money they will certainly try to get Sanchez or Rossi. They know that Chelsea will never let him go, unless crazy money is given. He signed 6 months ago ffs! And, actually, do they really need a CB? Yes Puyol is ageing (and I'm sure they see in David Luiz his long-term replacement just because of his hair) but the few times they played Mascherano or Abidal in central defence, it worked really well. Just a rumour I think.

FrLamp -Barcelona's negotiations to sign Udinese winger Alexis Sanchez have broken down and now Manchester City are back in pole position to sign the Chile international, according to the Daily Star.
Who believes the dailystar anyways...

This one isnt even getting off the ground..why would Luiz having been telling Neymar how great it is at Chelsea and in London --obviously showing how much he is enjoying himself , now want to uproot and move , even to Barcelona? Its a nonstarter i my opinion.

he has been waiting to join Chelsea for near on two years now so after he has been firmly entrenched in Chelsea folklore, he wont be moving any time soon. Luiz has the potential to be a great and he knows that can be done at Chelsea....the words of praise from people like Terry will do wonders for him and he appears to be switched on enough to know that with Terry tutoring him, and with competition from players like Iva and Alex, we can propel him to one of the best players in the world

Chelsea-fan - Like they said about Cesc right - Messi is one year older so he must be more worn out and should therefore be worth less. So i stick with my 30million. I would also order them to take Alves and busquets behind the shed and give them a solid thrashing- that would make me smile.

addictedtoblue, I know Hulk has a buyout clause of 100 million. But given the fact that it's Villas Boas who will be making the deal, don't you expect a lower asking price from them? I hope he can convince them. Hulk is the exact player we need. Can play in 4 different positions.

Guys this is highly unlikely...I doubt Barca would pursue a defender Chelsea paid more than 20 M only six months ago. They would know they will have to spend around 25-30 to get him..besides they have fontas and muniesa coming through...and if they do sign him , knowing how pep would rather bench a non catalan player this would most likely turn into another caceres or henrique saga

every clubs taps up... Barca shouldn't be slaughter for that as we do our fair share. As for Luiz going, no chance! They'd have a better chance getting our captain JT! He's the future of Chelsea along with Ramires, torres, Ivanovic, McEachran, PVA, Kakuta...and new additions. Looking forward to that Era of CFC!

addictedtoblue, City have offered a cheque in which Barca could decide themself how much money they want for Messi, it could have been 40 billions, it's the rule, City had to pay it in this case. They refused. Do you really think They will let Messi go for Luiz and 30 million?

FrLamp - Thats the issue right - how much lower. They aren't gonna give us 70% discount right? I completely agree with you regarding Hulk though - i think he's twice as good as Sanchez and would be a brilliant signing. Just don't see it happening though.

great timing for this article, our fans were only just telling the spuds fans how they should let madric move to a bigger club to improve his chances of siverware and some fans even compared the situation to Chelsea and if Barca came calling for one of our players..becareful what you post guys, i'm sure the spuds are on thier way to rub your noses in some of the past comments. Infact some of us are starting to sound like spuds already, you've put the cat amongst the pigeons here Cend ;)

Let's see,we bought him 6months ago,he's scored 2 goals,he can play ANYWHERE on the pitch and Chelsea fans love him.BUT he's not indispensable and we already have other VERY good centre backs.Let's not be hypocritical here,we're sounding like spurs fans.This is football,it's a game but it's also a business.If Barca were to offer 60million Euros and the player says he wants to go who are we to say no?Unlike spurs,we have money,we play in the CL and we have an 'ambitious' owner.I'm not worried about this atall because we won't lose from this situation either way;if he goes,we make silly profit.If he doesn't go..he doesn't go.But PLEASE,stop with the complaints of tapping up.Spurs fans are already running over.

@Ace Of Spades; pi$$ funny mate. Was that to be said to Barca in the voice of Eric Cartman??? There's no other club that $hits me more- them & their fans on their moral high-horse. As Cendrowski says, they are just as bad as EVERYONE ELSE.

Barca...thats nice to hear...like i said only good for the ears but Luiz is not going anywhwere....we love his head hottedness and the fact that he can ooooooooooohhh and woooooooooow the crowd all in one minute.

Fu(k off, Barcelona. Keep your miserable **** somewhere else. I'm worried that they might have put ideas in Luiz's mind. Hell, if they really want him, let them double the fee we paid. 50 million + Pedro would do the trick, I think. Why would we even WANT to selL?!

This headline gave me a good laugh!!! 'Tapping up' the absolute nerve!!! As if Chelsea would ever do anything like that. It's outrageous that Barcelona think they can get away with this. . . How ironic! - T0ssers!

If we were like every other team we would b*tch and moan about how unfair it was that people are 'harrassing' our players. We don't. Plus if he were to go tell me Luiz is not worth 35m plus!!
AVB is apparentely in London to sort out his contract after faxing Porto to say he will resign.

As Redknapp said, there is not a player that doesn't know of the interest BEFORE the clubs make official contact, every single deal involves some form of tapping up. Barca wanted Luiz before we signed him.

This is what we do..as Spuds did with Modric and Liverpool did with Torres because they knew big clubs are going to come sniffing....put Luiz on a 6 /7year deal and a huge buy out clause and make him sucessor to JT as captain, then if Barca come looking and are serious they will have to break the proverbial bank to get him. Thats what seems to happen to us so if its good for them.......

There's no reason to worry. David Luiz won't be sold and there's no indication that he'd be interested in leaving. With Villas Boas coming in, there is an excitement at the club we've not had in a while.

I think that football fans fall for sensational players. Luiz's main responsibility (in current position) is to defend and he has shown that he is far from the finished product in that respect. The goals he scored and the forward runs, long passing and shots have all been amazing, but vs. Fulham he could've cost us a point and vs. ManUtd (OT) he was the main responsible for both goals (when Alex came in for him, he showed how a defender should play). Judging from how you evaluate him, then Makelele would have had to be not even half a player Luiz is.

Don't like it when someone ' tapsup' one of your players, but see nothing wrong with trying to ' tap up ' one of ours - TOSSERS !!! wWhat the whole world wants to know is ; where will ye end up when that Russain Gangster walks out and leaves in the MIRE . Answers on a Post card please ha ha ha ha

You sound very uptight killiney, jealous? 1991-2003, Chelsea finished above Spurs in 9 of the 12 seasons, totalling exactly 100 more points and Spurs did not beat us in the league ONCE during this period. You have been in our shadow for a long time, move along.

Barca, Gods gift to football, tapping up?! Never! Good luck reporting it to Madrid and Barca's No1 fans and members of the 'we hate English football clubs' association, what's there name? Oh yeah FIFA.

I have no reason to believe he wants to leave,but if it's true about what the agent then I'd let him go for 30m(no less).I reiterate what I said,I have no reason to believe he wants out but if he enters negotiations with them,I'd consider selling him,I don't want anyone here who doesn't want to be here.

Being Chelsea fans, we can't really act innocent and condemn Barca for a possible tap-up. I mean we have been on the 'wrong' side of ;egal transfer disputes for a few years now. But nevertheless, Chelsea don't need the moeny, Luiz is happy at Chelsea. This transfer will not happen.

Don't think it's true, but if it is let 'em tap all they want. He's not going anywhere. You can tell he loves Chelsea. I could see him being our captain in a few years, and I think he sees that for himself too.

I love Chelsea but this goes on. Modric, Ash Cole are just two names that we have, let's say, made discreet contact about to test the waters. Barca are no different, it's the way of world football now. Is what we need now is for the player to come out and say he wants to stay at Chelsea!! Modric never and nor did Ash Cole!!! Players have the power now!!!

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